MissionThe Next Move Program provides work and educational experiences to young adults with disabilities as they transition out of high school into the world of work.

Impact

Accomplishments this past year:

80% of our graduates have gained employment in the community or acceptance to post-secondary education (the state baseline is only 30% for this population).

We have successfully returned to both prior pilot sites from 2016, the YMCA of Greater Richmond and The University of Richmond, and completed programming in 2017.

We have successfully launched pilots this year with Wells Fargo (at the corporate level), Quirk Hotel, Ledbury, The Central VA Legal Aid Society, The Va Rep Theater, and The Renaissance.

Goals:

We hope to continue to plan effective programming with our current partnerships that results in similar student gains and outcomes.

We hope to secure funding to allow our program to run more than one site at a time, allowing for a bigger impact.

We hope to expand host organization partnerships, allowing for a bigger impact.

We aim to build a bakery for our tablespoons program that can serve as a training and employment site.

Needs

Our current greatest need is funding. We have more interested students than can participate and more hosting organizations that want to host our student interns than what we can support. In order to meet the demand, we will need additional funding in order to add to our team.

The cost of programming per student is $6,500. The cost to fund one full 12-week session at our current scale (i.e. one site with two teachers) is $39,000.

Background

The Next Move Program first started in 2010 at large biotech company in downtown Richmond. An executive at the company had a child with special needs. From his personal experience and his family’s struggles, he knew that this population – and his son – had limited access to vocational training. A partnership was formed with Henrico County Public Schools. In the fall of that year, the first group of students participated in a supported internship program.

Prior to the arrival of these interns, the same tasks that they took on were previously completed by temporary workers. With temps, the business experienced frequent and expensive high turnover rates and high error rates; all of these issues were eliminated once the interns began work. The company was also surprised by the interns' positive impact on its culture. The interns were motivated and always smiling, which inspired the best work from the employees.

In 2012, job offers were given to 12 of the most productive workers. The internship program was disbanded, as the training positions were all filled. By demand of the staff, the leadership agreed to bring the program back, hiring two special educators to coordinate the internship.

In 2013, Elizabeth Howley and Mary Townley, special educators hired from a local school system, were brought in to run programming and provide ongoing supports to the former interns who were hired. Elizabeth and Mary opened participation to all of the major school systems in the Greater Richmond Area. They expanded the program to include additional teams, so that interns could be placed individually into departments and have the best opportunity to gain independence. Elizabeth and Mary also added a curriculum component. They knew that vocational training would help their students gain employment, but education would help them keep employment. Students participated in daily instruction in work safety, work preparation, social skills, and life skills.

In the Spring of 2015, the biotech company was sold and operations were relocated to another state. Elizabeth and Mary spun programming off as a separate non-profit; The Next Move Program became a 501 (c)(3) organization in the fall of 2015.

CEO Statement

The Next Move Program is a non-profit that partners with businesses, organizations, and school systems to create guided internship experiences for young adults with special needs.

The need for work preparation and training is tremendous for young adults with special needs. The majority of this population graduate from high school and have little to no work experience, as well as little to no work readiness education. Almost 22,000 high school students graduate each year in our state from this population. When the Department of Education surveys this group one year out from graduation, as many as 70% are doing nothing. They are sitting at home.

What we know to be true is that work is more than just having a place to clock in and out from 9 to 5 each day. Work gives us confidence, independence, and makes us feel needed – as a contributing part of a team. When these young people do not have this opportunity, they become disconnected, depressed, isolated and withdrawn. Their families feel overburdened both emotionally and financially. There is a very real sense of fear. What happen to my child when I pass away? Will my child be okay when I am gone?

By partnering with businesses and schools, The Next Move Program can give these individuals hope. All young people, regardless of special needs, have value and can successfully contribute to the community if given the appropriate supports.

The result is a transformative experience for all. 80% of our graduates have gained employment or acceptance to post-secondary programming – a huge improvement over the baseline of 30%.

Further, the enthusiasm, work ethic, and joyful spirit that they bring to their internship transforms the hearts and minds of everyone that they meet. Truly inclusive communities are formed.

Your support is greatly appreciated. Together, we can give all young people—regardless of a disability—hope for the future.

Areas of Service

Areas Served

Area

Local

Richmond, City

Chesterfield County

Henrico County

Hanover County

Central Virginia

Board Chair

Board Chair Rohana Meade

Company AffiliationSynergy Technical

TermOct 2015 to Oct 2018

Emailrmeade@syntechva.com

Board of Directors

Board Members

Name

Affiliation

Justin Feaster

Self Advocate & College Student

Amy Feaster

Wells Fargo Advisors

Elizabeth R Howley

Next Move Program Employee

Rohana Meade

Synergy Technical

Mary Townley

Next Move Program Employee

Eric Turner

Keiter

Andy Webb

South Carolina Supreme Court - Lawyer

Board Demographics - Ethnicity

African American/Black2

Asian American/Pacific Islander0

Caucasian5

Hispanic/Latino0

Native American/American Indian0

Other0 1 from LBGTQ Community

Board Demographics - Gender

Male3

Female4

Governance

Board Term Lengths3

Written Conflict of Interest Policy?Yes

Percentage Making Monetary Contributions100

Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions80

Number of Full Board Meetings Annually4

Other Boards

The tables below contain information about other groups that advise this nonprofit on operations and projects.

Our students learn to bake in a professional kitchen and then sell these goodies at the SOTJ Market in Forest Hill Park (at New Kent Ave. and W. 42nd St.) from 8:00 am-12:00 pm each Saturday.

Our goal is to empower our students, providing them with authentic training experiences in the culinary arts and in independent living skills, all while having fun and making new friends!

We have been selling out each week at market. We have also started receiving large corporate and event orders. We hope to build a brick and mortar location that can serve as a training and employment site.

Baking works well for this population, as there is an aspect of the process that everyone can do and it reinforces so many work and independent living skills that we are already teaching. Further, the baking process is so joyful; who better to have involved than the most joyful people you can imagine meeting!

Population ServedPeople/Families with People of Developmental Disabilities

Budget$250,000.00

Short Term Success

Students learning to follow basic kitchen safety with 100% compliance.

Students learning to follow recipe instructions with 100% efficacy.

1/3 of students have made notable progress in counting change and handling sales.

Long Term SuccessThis program is still in pilot phase. However, selling out each week at the market and the number of corporate and private event orders (especially repeat ones) are a testament to early success.